dec 12 edition - copy - baydon
TRANSCRIPT
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Copy for next Scene to Brydgette Bryon-Edmond by: 19 January 2013......Please!
Email: [email protected] - Or leave in the bag with Debbie at
the shop
Visit www.baydon.org for up-to-date village news, events, weather and features
..a bi-monthly digest of what’s going on in Baydon: December 12
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Hello All Once again, the fireworks were absolutely brilliant (in every sense). Even the dog enjoyed them! The Fireworks team do us proud. I think this may have been the busiest that I’ve been to - cars parked all along Aldbourne Road and Ermin Street. Oodles of people and a lovely atmos-phere. But sad to have to say ‘goodbye’ to Sam and Clair at the pub on their last night. Wishing you all the very best in your new venture. The Scene Team are always on the look out for local stories, adverts and nuggets - please feel free to send anything you think might be of interest to those in Baydon. Either: email me at [email protected] pop any items through my door at 5 Manor Lane, or drop copy into Debbie at the Shop who will pass it onto me for
inclusion. If Debbie’s not there - drop it in the Baydon Scene bag Don’t forget to stock up on salt - here’s hoping we have a pub to go to if we all become trapped in the village again. Have the BEST Christmas and the happiest of New Years - here’s to 2013! All the very best
Scene in Baydon - published by Brydgette Bryon-Edmond, 5 Manor Lane, Baydon, Marlborough, Wiltshire
For advertising rates and any other query please email
Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the Editor
Contacts & Telephone Numbers For Village Clubs, Associations, Groups
Aldbourne Theatre Group Dr David Robertson 541464
Aldbourne & Baydon LINK Scheme 541345
Baydon Allotment Association 541112
Baydon Scene Brydgette Bryon-Edmond 540100
Baydon Social Group Pat Rhodes 540481
Baydon Village Website Mark Austen 541342
Brownies Wendy Appello Jayne Dominy
541469 540450
BYPA - Chairman 540091
Church Wardens Shirley Smith Tony Topp
540465 541171
Clergy - Team Rector Simon Weedon 520235
Cricket Club Lee Hogan 541144
Friends of Baydon School Mandy Dore 541468
National Trust Geoff Slater 540144
Parent & Toddler Group Alison Jones 540608
Parish Council Chairman Andy Knowles 540782
Parish Council Clerk [email protected].
Patient Representative Joele McGowran 540784
Police - Local Beat Manager Jeremy Batchelor (Batch) 0845 4087000
Pre School Supervisor Denise Dawson 07810 790142
St Nicholas School - Head Peter Chambers 540554
Thursday Club Peggy Slater 540144
Wagtails Mandy Osborne 07826 646631
Young Vines Vacancy
Ramsbury Surgery 520366
Ramsbury Surgery Appointments 521234
Lambourn Surgery 01488 71715
Lambourn Surgery Appointments 01488 72299
Red Lion Pub 540112
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1. Which popular Christmas carol is often sung to the melody composed by Felix Mendelssohn?
2. In Charles Dicken's ‘A Christmas Carol’, Scrooge got mad when he heard which merry song?
3. Which Christmas character is based on a story by Robert L May ?
4. Which Christmas song was written by Adolphe Adam and was later frowned upon by the church?
5. The original title of which Christmas song was ‘Kings Of the Orient’?
6. Judy Garland sang which Christmas song in the film ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’?
7. Which well-loved Christmas carol is often sung to the tune of Greensleeves?
8. Mozart used which Christmas music for a piano and violin duet?
9. Lewis Redner originally wrote the music to which Yuletide song for a Sunday school children's choir?
10. Which traditional Christmas carol was originally meant to be sung during USA’s Thanksgiving?
11. The real title of this song is aptly ‘The Christmas Song’ but most know it as...?
12. Which carol is also known as Adeste Fideles?
13. Which well-loved Christmas carol was based on a poem written by Joseph Mohr?
14. Add the number of drummers drumming to the amount of golden rings, then subtract how many maids were a milking, and what do you get?
15. What did the night wind say to the little lamb in a song of 1962?
Answers in the next edition
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2 December Patronal & Family Christingle Service
9 December Holy Communion
16 December Carol Service - 4pm
23 December Advent Worship & Reflection
24 December Midnight Communion - 11:30 pm
25 December Family Christmas Communion
30 December Team Covenant & Communion Service
RAMSBURY - 10:00 am
January 2013 Back to normal. Please see baydon.org for further details.
All services are at 09.30 am unless otherwise stated
St Nicholas’ Church - Baydon
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I have had a lifelong interest in aircraft. This coming year marks 110 years of manned, powered flight. From the gentle hop of the Wright brothers, through the quest for speed in the Schnieder Trophy races of the 1920s and 30s, the use of aircraft in warfare, the development of cheap and safe airline travel, to the outward urge of space exploration and all in the last 110 years! We take such technological development for granted but with such development comes massive social change. At the time of the birth of Jesus, travel was limited. Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem by donkey. The wise men travelled by camel and their journey took months. The Roman census assumed that most people would be in the towns and villages where their forefathers had lived. Even 200 years ago, travel in this country was by foot, horse or boat. How different for us. The increased availability of passenger flights has changed our patterns of behaviour. Instead of remaining in the lands of their forefathers, many travel to places hundreds or thousands of miles away as political or economic refugees. People think nothing of travelling thousands of miles just for a few days holiday. Families are increasingly spread across the world. Christmas is often a time when these changes become starker. As you gather with your family and friends this Christmas-tide, spare a thought for the families separated by distance, the refugees far from home and the increasing gap between those who have opportunity and those who have not. Whether you are a visitor to our villages or a long standing resident, may I offer, on behalf of all the ministers, a warm welcome to the churches of the Whitton Team. May each of us experi-ence the reality of welcome and belonging this Christmastide. Simon Weeden Team Rector
Neat Feet ~ Foot Care
~ foot maintenance & nail cutting ~ corn and verruca treatments ~ in growing/problem nail relief ~ fungal skin & nail treatments ~ hard skin reduction ~ custom made padding/supports
Foot care appointments in the comfort of your own home
Louise Marie Pereira Foot Health Professional
(MCFHP, MAFHP)
H. 01488 648457 M. 07748 216390 E. [email protected]
44 If you feel you can help with fundraising for the Church Roof or want to know more details please contact Baydon PCC - [email protected]
Editor: I was very ‘into’ poems when I was a small. I am still, though my tastes lean more towards the war poets these days.
I remember this poem by Eleanor Farjeon from one of my poetry books many moons ago. I still know it off-by-heart. My headmis-
tress made me recite it in assembly and leave a copy by the school Christmas tree where we made collections for those less well-off than we were. Just thought I’d share it with you - pretty
much as relevant now as it was 40 odd years ago.
For Them
Before you bid, for Christmas sake, Your Guest to sit at meat.
Oh, please to save a little cake For them that have no treat
Before you go down party dressed
In silver gown or gold, Oh, please to send a little vest
To them that still go cold.
Before you give your girl or boy Great gifts to be undone.
Oh, please to spare a little toy For them that will have none.
Before you gather round the tree
To dance the day about, Oh, please to give a little glee
To them that go without.
A Christmas Poem
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Peter Ball Invites You to France in 2013 Next year’s holiday/pilgrimage goes to Normandy. “Churches, Cheeses and Ciders” offers just that – a chance to experience something of what the region has to offer.
We shall visit some really great buildings, see Camembert in production and have the opportunity to slake our thirst with the local beverage. We shall join in worship with our French brothers and sisters and, hopefully get to meet some of the Evreux diocese people we in Salisbury are twinned with.
The dates are May 16th, when we leave by Eurostar for Paris, till we come home on the 21st. We stay each night in the 5-star Hotel de l’Orme in Evreux. Once again Pax Travel is making the arrangements. The cost is £689 sharing, with a single room supplement of £105. Brochures and booking forms are in the churches. If you want to know more, please speak to me (01672 520259).
Evreux Cathedral
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Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
fromfromfrom
Heads Up! As we move through the last term of 2012 our children have enjoyed cele-brating Harvest, with our contributions being donated to the Swindon Food Bank and the Women’s refuse. We are now commencing activities leading up to Christmas. Ofsted inspected the school on the 6th and 7th November and we are currently awaiting the report. Our Year 5 and 6 netball teams and Year 3 and 4 football teams all did extremely well playing in the St John’s mini festivals with one football team winning the League B trophy, for the second year running. We are very fortunate in school, enjoying the following after school and lunch time clubs and activities: netball, multiskills, gym, Zumba with recorders and book clubs starting soon. The staff, children, parents and friends of school raised money for Children in Need when we wore outrageous hats, covered Pudsey in pennies and held a Staff vs Children netball match, I will leave you to guess who won!. Earlier in November we also collected 46 shoe boxes for the Samaritans Purse. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a peaceful Christmas and happy and healthy 2013. P N Chambers Headteacher
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Baydon Cricket Club New players wanted and
welcomed.
All enquiries to Lee Hogan Tel. 541144 (01672)
Mobile Library The Mobile Library will be outside the school on the following dates:
6 December 20 December 3 January
17 January 31 January
10:50 - 11:40
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The last couple of meetings have been very enjoyable. In October we had Sue Hulbert, from the Wiltshire Swan Sanctuary and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, come to speak to us about the birds and animals which have been rescued by herself and others. She also brought along an Owl which had been hand reared and could not be released back into the wild, and a baby hedgehog which because of the unusual summer will have to be looked after by Sue, along with a number of other hedgehogs, until next spring when they will be released. An interesting talk from a very dedicated lady. The November meeting was a games evening where participants had a wide choice of games along with a glass of wine. Enjoyed by all who came. The last meeting of 2012 will be a members only skittle evening. A new venue the Cross Keys at Great Bedwyn, This will conclude the first two years of the groups formation. 2013 All are welcome. A new year of activities and meetings is about to begin. Please come along on January 10th to Bryn and Barbara's home at 25 Downsmead, 7.30pm, where we will be arranging the events programme for 2013. Find out what is already planned and have your input with regards to other events. All this will be accompanied by a glass of wine and some nibbles. For those not planning to join the group for the year a payment of £3 for the evening is required, however if you are joining for 2013 then it is a one off payment of £12 for the entire year. What great value! Looking forward to seeing those who are already members and hopefully welcoming some new faces.
Pat
Please phone for more details. Pat Rhodes 540481.
To keep up to date with planned events please visit Baydon’s website or look out for information on posters.
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Baydon Joggers Run for it!
The Jogging Group will be meeting at 08:30 on Saturdays - whatever
the weather! Anyone interested in joining in, meet by Downsmead notice board
It’s for all levels from complete beginners to Marathon distance. Watch the website and notice boards for details of meetings.
Contact either Heather Burch on 07796 300645 or Harriet Knowles 07767 895986. Or email: [email protected]
At last we have a final figure for the amount raised at The Baydon Sport
Relief Mile back in March. It is a whopping £2010. We can’t thank enough the 117 participants who between them raised that fantastic amount . Thanks as well to the marshalls for making sure everyone got
round safely, the Friends of Baydon School for providing refreshments and also the photographer who, we think, managed to get pictures of all of the competitors. Anyone wanting to view these please contact Heather
on 07796300645 or e-mail [email protected]
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Marlborough Area Board Next meeting is: Tues 29 January 2013
Marlborough Town Hall, Council Offices, 5 High Street, Marlborough SN8 1AA 6.30 pm
More news: The publication ‘Just a Minute’ is a summary of the official minutes for the Marlborough Area Board and is available in full on Baydon’s
Website. Parish News from the Council also available on the website.
Marlborough CAN Newsletter Marlborough CAN helps you keep in touch with things that are happening locally. With regular news from the Council, Police, NHS and many other local community groups and organisations, you can be the first to know what is happening. With
opportunities to have a say on important issues and to take part in local events and activities, Marlborough CAN will put you in the picture.
See the latest CAN at Baydon.org
Meet your CAM! Andrew Jack, Marlborough’s Community Area Manager, will be working in Marlborough Library from approximately 12.00pm until 5.00pm on most Wednesdays. Andrew is available to chat concerning Area Board matters, such as Community Area Grant funding and consultations as well as signposting other Wiltshire Council services. Andrew can be reached on 01225 713109 or email: [email protected]
Marlborough’s CAN Newsletter
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Messages from Chair - Andy Knowles
All of the Council Minutes and agendas are on Baydon’s website
Welcome to this festive and New Year celebration for the Parish Council corner!!
Where does the time go? However, with so much going on during 2012 the councillors and volunteers have hardly had time to stand still and take a breath.
With Jubilee celebrations, beacon lighting, litter picking, beating the bounds, fetes and fairs, BYPA refurbishments, TCWG, speed watch group, the magnifi-cent fireworks display, a festival of summer sport……oh and the police com-missioner voting…there has always been something occupying the agenda’s each month, so that’s where the time has gone!
There are too many people to say thank you to for all your hard work and commitment throughout the year, so on behalf of the village and councillors I would like to extend a collective ‘Thank You’ to you all, as without you none of the above would have been possible.
It has been a challenging year for all the councillors that volunteer their time, as partly we have been without a clerk to help keep the daily/weekly tasks in order. I would like to thank Rowan Cockcroft for the years she gave the vil-lage; she did a magnificent job and certainly kept me in order, which can be a challenge in itself! Marie Hogan stepped in (thank you); though unfortu-nately it just did not work out when trying to balance children, work and home – this further highlights the position that many of the councillors are in, as they too hold down full time jobs. They are all volunteers and if you do have some spare time on your hands, then there are vacancies and we would gladly welcome fresh views and opinions. (Thanks Team)
We lost Michael Edmonds this year and that was a great shame for the PC and the village, as this was a true Gentleman that came from outside the vil-lage that gave his ‘all’ and will be sadly missed!
We hope going into 2013 that the PC and Village continues to thrive, as it is in my opinion a lovely place to live with a great community feel..all be it, slightly endangered by passing ‘speeders’..but we will get them! Have a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Andy Knowles
Parish Council Corner
Daisy’s favourite!
Washing Machine Repairs
Washmatics G Perrett ‐ Baydon
New machines sold &
installed Washing machine repairs
Call: 01672 540596 Mobile 07818 638601
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Council Corner
Could you be our Parish Councillor?
We still have a vacancy on the Parish Council, the Clerk would be delighted to talk to anyone interested in joining the
Council.
Please contact [email protected] for more information or to discuss
Councillor Chris Humphries resigns as Conservative Councillor
One of Wiltshire Conservatives' longest serving councillors Chris Humphries who represents Aldbourne and Ramsbury (as well as Baydon) has quit the party. He will now sit as a member of the Wiltshire Independent Group. Councillor Humphries has been a councillor for about 40 years at parish, at the former Kennet Dis-trict and at Wiltshire county level. For more information, take a look at baydon.org
Next Parish Council Meetings are: 14 January 2013 at the BYPA Hall - 8 pm 18 February 2013 at the BYPA Hall - 8 pm
Visit www.baydon.org for up-to-date village news & events, weather and features, Parish Council minutes & agendas
Councillor Chris Humphries
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Ramsbury & Wanborough Surgery Flu Season Again Flu Season Again
If you are age 65 or over you are automatically entitled to a free vaccina-tion. If you suffer from any of the following conditions, than you also can receive a free vaccination:
Diabetes Asthma Chronic Heart Disease COPD Stroke Heart/Liver/Kidney Disease Pregnant Women Immunocompromised
If you are in any of the above categories, please book an appointment now.
Appointments can be made by calling 01672 521234 or 520366
If you are a registered patient of Ramsbury & Wanborough Surgery and fit into the above criteria, book your free flu vaccine now.
Appointments available now!
Police and Crime Commissioner Election Results A total of 81,477 votes were cast in Wiltshire at the Police and Crime Com-missioner (PCC) elections, giving an overall turnout of 15.83%. Results were:
(1st) Angus Stuart Macpherson, Conservative with 35,319 votes (after two stages),
(2nd) Claire Moody, Labour,
(3rd) Colin Skelton, Independent,
(4th) Paul Batchelor, Liberal Democrats,
(5th) John Short, UK Independent Party and
(6th) Liam Bruce Silcocks, Independent.
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We are both based at Marlborough Police Station
We are further supported by a team of Special Constables,
who all perform regular duties from Marlborough.
We can be contacted at Marlborough by phoning: 0845 408 7000 EXT 739817.
Mobile: 07969 501963
Meet the Community Team
PC Jeremy Batchelor CBM Marlborough
Rural East
PCSO Jonathan Mills
Marlborough Rural East E-mail [email protected]
Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service’s ‘Partnership Matters’ news-letter is at Baydon.org - it’s a wealth of info on the work of the service and important information for everyone.
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101 Non Emergency Police Number The 101 non-emergency number was launched in Wiltshire
When should callers use 101?
The 101 national number gives local communities an easy way to contact police - when it's less urgent than 999. In a non-emergency dial 101 if: you want to report a crime/issue that does not require an immediate emergency response * you or someone else are not in immediate danger * you would like to speak to your local police officer * you want to provide information about a crime It is important to reiterate that 999 is still the number when you want to contact the police in an emergency, such as: * you need an immediate response because a crime is in progress * you or someone else is injured or there is a threat to life * a serious road traffic collision has taken place * violence is being used or threatened How does 101 work?
101 will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When you call 101, you will hear a recorded message announcing that you are being connected to your local police force. The system will determine the caller's location and connect them to the relevant police force.
If a caller is on a boundary between two or more forces, the recorded message will give them a choice of which force to be connected to. What will happen to the current 0845 408 7000 number?
The 0845 number ceased in Sept. A recorded message asks you to re-dial 101. Can people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, use 101?
People who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired can text-phone 18001 101. In an emergency, you can text 80999 from any phone. Is it more expensive for the public to contact the police on 101?
With 101 it has been nationally agreed that a flat rate of 15p will be charged whether a member of the public is calling from a landline or mobile, irrespective of how long their call lasts.
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Baydon Bonfire and Fireworks
On behalf of the bonfire and firework committee we would just like to thank everyone for supporting, what we believe is an annual village event which is getting better every year. We would like to thank the following for their help in making this event so successful , Roger Foster, Tony Topp, Mike Hale, all of the safety stewards, The Parish Council and especially Debbie at the shop. Preparations for next years event are already underway, with on going training with our fireworks supplier Pains Fireworks , so looking forward to next year already !!! Mark, Jim, Steve, Martin & Trevor 1st Baydon Brownies and Little Crickets PreSchool would like to thank all those who came to support the refreshment tent at the annual Baydon Fireworks. The mulled wine and hot soup proved particularly popular. Many thanks Another fabulous event! Well done to all concerned. Editor
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Do You Know Someone With Sight Problems?
You can hear all of the latest local news and gossip, a weekly selection of magazine articles, and get to know what’s going on in your area from our local Talking Newspaper.
Produced each Friday by volunteers, a cassette is sent out free of charge to blind or partially sighted folk in the area.
Call Michael Brown on 01672 562979 and he’ll do the rest!
Want to sell, loan, buy or rent something? Lost something (or someone!) Or found something you think might be precious to someone? Advertise
here for free! But please keep it short! And no commercial please...
Bus to Newbury NEW TIMES & DAYS!
Did you know that there is a bus that runs from Baydon to Newbury at 10.18 am every Saturday?
It is now a regular service so no need to book
The bus will leave Baydon (bus stop on Aldbourne Road) at around 10.18 am and take a slightly different route to Newbury.
It leaves Newbury at 1.30 pm for the return journey.
It may not be as quick, or follow such a direct route, as in the car but it certainly beats finding a place to park – and of course it is free for those over sixty (providing you have your bus pass).
Barbara F.
AVEBURY VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Christmas Concert
Carols, seasonal music and readings
St James's Church, Avebury
Sunday 9th December, 2012 at 7:30 pm
AVE performs a selection of sacred and secular seasonal music.
There will also be readings and organ pieces.
Conductor: Sir Peter Beale Organ: Simon Dinsdale
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Hello (and goodbye) Well, see you haven’t got rid of us quite yet! after a very emotional departure we have left to go onto pastures new. As we left before this edition of the Scene, we wanted to just put a little piece in to thank everyone who supported us over the years, we have had our good times, our funny times, the hard times and the sad times but we take with us the treasured memories which would-n’t be possible without you. For all of you who wish to come and be nosey at our new pub - its The Swan, Sherborne St John, Basingstoke and you are all more than welcome. All that leaves us to say is we honestly wish everyone all the luck and success in the world and hope that your village pub remains open. Sam & Clair
Red Lion - Tel 01672 540112 [email protected]
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£20. Guest entrance: £5 Seven on the evening
Tuesday 4 December 2012 Guys & Dolls (U) (1955) cert 15. 143 mins. Dir: Joseph Mankiewicz; Stars: Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra New York gambler Sky Masterson, is challenged to take Sarah Brown, a cold female missionary to Havana, with the bet having the hidden motive to fi-nance a crap game. Packed with memorable songs by Frank Loesser The Annual General Meeting will be held at 7.30, enhanced by complimen-tary mulled wine & mince pies. The film will start immediately after the AGM. Saturday 5 January 2013 The Departed (18) USA/Hong Kong (2009) 145 mins; Dir: Scorsese; Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson Moles in the Boston Police and an Irish gang try to discover each other's identity in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Please note this is an 18 certificate and screened on Saturday instead of our usual Tuesday.
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Dear Tom and all the Residents in Aldbourne and Baydon, Thank you very much for your kindness and efforts to support our Prospect Hospice ‘Village Park up Scheme’ recently in Aldbourne and Baydon. We were absolutely delighted to receive an astonishing 133 bags of high quality stock for our 13 charity shops on the day, which has made our collection with you the most successful collection for us to date! Your kindness in supporting the charity will enable us to help raise the £5.4 million needed to give end of life care free of charge to all our patients and their families and we very much hope to re-turn to you in the near future for another Village collection (if you felt able to help us again Tom!). Thank you again from all of us here at Wroughton. Kind regards and best wishes
Charly Rich Head of Retail 01793 813644
PROSPECT HOSPICE Collection I have just completed the Autumn collection of the Prospect boxes in the village. The total raised since the April/May collection is £187.70. Many thanks to all the box holders, and keep putting in all your loose change – it really does add up and makes a difference. Prospect do rely on the box collections to keep going!! Penny Stephens
Memories of an Evacuee in Baydon Recently Philip Moleman, a 1940's wartime evac-uee, got in touch with Mark Austen via the Baydon website ahead of revisiting Baydon some 70+ years after coming here at the age of 7 years in 1941.
If either you or you know of anyone who may also remember these times please do get in touch with Mark Austen via [email protected] as Philip is very keen to get in touch with anyone who also has memories of these times gone by.
Philip writes:
I thought readers may be interested in my memories, as an evacuee in Baydon, escaping the London blitz around 1941- 1942. I was then aged 6 or 7. I lived in Baydon House School, which was run by two ladies named Miss Smith. I recall the names of six other children living in Baydon House - possibly there were more.
My recollection is of a lane leading to Baydon House which terminated in a field, in which there was a pond, that there was a large back garden in which there were laurel bushes Also that there were trees at the rear of the garden, behind which was a field. I recall an occasion when rooks in those trees were shot to supplement our wartime diet (I remember the shotgun pellets at mealtime) and also of harvest time in the field when Italian prisoners-of-war assisted with the harvest. We children (presumably with other village children) also played a part, standing at the perimeter of the field with hazel sticks to try and hit rats and mice as they escaped the gradually harvested corn. I remember tanks on manoeuvres passing Baydon House and that we children collected spent shell cartridges from aerial combat in the vicinity and the consternation when I returned with an unexploded shell - which was rapidly removed. On walks we collected stinging nettles for our meals and I have a pleasant memory of a wood carpeted with bluebells.
On my recent visit it was clear that much has changed in Baydon over the past decades. If any reader can recall Baydon in the 1940’s and can comment on the accuracy (or otherwise) of my memories, I’d be very interested.
Philip Moleman
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Whitton – Notre Dame des Bois Visit November 2nd – 4th 2012
Eight intrepid souls from the Whitton Benefice travelled to Normandy over the first weekend in November to visit the Paroisse Notre Dame des Bois with which we are twinned.
The warmth of the welcome which greeted us at the Canappville Prieurie when we arrived was echoed throughout the weekend in the many encounters across the sixteen villages which make up the parish. We were given a beautifully pro-duce booklet with the programme and pictures of people involved. Our time there was packed with interesting visits to a number of the churches, two farms and a fine manor house.
Everywhere we went we had presentations and amazing hospitality. We learnt about the life of the parish and how they cope with so many churches and so few priests, its setting in the local society and the active ministries undertaken by members of the churches. The Lay people are closely involved in the prepara-tion of families for christenings, with couples getting married and with the be-reaved preparing and often taking funerals. There are groups responsible for children’s work, catéchèse, and for solidarité, care for people in need locally and overseas. There is also a hospital chaplaincy led by a lay person.
They are a Catholic parish and so it was wonderful to be included in their wor-ship, which was all in French, of course! On the Friday evening we divided up and went to two churches where there were Masses for All Souls, on Saturday we took part in Vespers in the Priory chapel at Canappeville and on Sunday we all went to the Mass in Quatremare, where we were invited to do the Prayers and Peter Ball preached the sermon (both done in French!). The Mass concluded with a very special moment when all the clergy (3 Anglican and 1 Catholic) shared in pronouncing the final blessing.
Something that stood out for us was the number of people involved in different aspects of the Church’s ministry and the fact that they didn’t think of themselves as doing anything out of the ordinary.
Their acceptance of us and their interest in our lives and our fellowships and their willingness to share what works and what doesn’t reflected the love and care we see modelled by Jesus. The struggles are the same; they are a rural parish with farming at the heart of their failing economy. The Missionary Brothers and Sisters of the Countryside minister alongside the lay people.
We have much to share and learn from each other and as we journey together, and our friendships grow, our lives will be much richer from knowing each other. The twinning of our parishes is a true blessing.
We look forward to a return visit from our brothers and sisters in Notre Dame des Bois in May 2014. In the meantime we have a visit from the Diocese of Evreux in January 2013 when our visitors will spend most of their time in Marlborough Dean-ery and the Whitton Team Benefice so they get a flavour of Wiltshire!
The village has been subject to some dastardly deeds of late. Shalom has asked Editor to thank the neighbour who found their house sign which had - strangely - gone walkabout from its Manor Lane spot. What the pinchers may not have realised is that it’s pretty important to have the sign where it is because emergency vehicles can’t find Shalom easily and, since it’s a care home, they need to. You’re putting lives at risk. Please think before you act. And the second incident involves a bunch of no-gooders who, on our brilliant fireworks night stole some decorative flashing skulls that one of our neighbours had festively popped on their fence to celebrate the season. This is your village too and you’re spoiling it for everyone. We do know who you are.....
Our Village Shop Whilst living and working in Newbury, it was so easy and convenient to pay all the bills, buy milk, bread, stamps etc – in fact all of the staples one needed - at the two local sub post offices. One at Speen and one at Speenhamland. Sadly – not so now.
They were both closed down several years ago and it’s true what they say – you don’t really appreciate what you have until it’s gone. We are so fortunate in Baydon to have our own shop and Post Office. A fast and quick service with a smile, and I hope long may it continue. While the government are still closing them at a rate of knots, may ours survive and remain the hub of the village and a meeting place for all us locals.
It gives a good service we can all enjoy, plus all the local chat and a chance to catch up and keep track of events. It’s just a matter of time before the Big Lottery Winner is found alive and well in Baydon! Now how much was that Bentley Continental?.... So please let’s all try and use it or ONE DAY WE WILL SURELY LOSE IT
Love Mary